Paperboy 'enjoyed every minute' of 63-year career

A man who delivered newspapers seven days a week for 63 years says he has enjoyed every minute of it.

Alan Lawty, 82, from Langtoft, near Driffield, said he clocked up about 100 miles (160km) a day delivering papers to 18 different villages across the East Yorkshire Wolds.

More remarkably, this took place before he started his shift on the family farm each day.

Lawty, who retired from his round late last year due to a knee complaint, said: "It's all I've known really", adding it "gave me something to do".

He said he first became involved as a teenager when his father, who started the round, became ill.

"I was 17, and I had to do it with my uncle and hadn't a clue where to go," he said.

Two years later, Lawty said he was delivering about 800 papers a day to places including Garton, Wetwang, Fridaythorpe and Wold Newton.

Lawty said he would normally start his round at about 01:30 GMT and finish at breakfast time but, on one occasion, he recalled being much later due to wintry weather.

Despite the delay, Lawty said: "I've always managed to get round."

He also recalled the moment when a tree branch fell on the bonnet of his car during a storm, and a police officer telling him how lucky he was to avoid injury.

Commenting on his longevity, he said: "I wouldn't have packed it in if it wasn't for my knee."

He added he "wasn't one for sitting around".

As for whether it is a record, he said: "I don't suppose it will be beat."

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